That incurable foot-in-the-mouth disease

BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj on Friday came out in support of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who was convicted earlier in the day of rape by a CBI court in Haryana.

Reacting to the mayhem unleashed by Singh's supporter since the news of the ruling became public, the BJP leader said there was only one person (ie. the woman who accused him of rape) against Singh, while crores support him.

"Crores of people are supporting Ram Rahim, and only one person is complaining against him. Is one person right or are crores of people right?" the BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district said.

One person alleging sexual exploitation but crores stand with him today,why those crores of ppl are not being heard?: Sakshi Maharaj,BJP MP pic.twitter.com/GKEkgwwtRU

"There is so much of ruckus over it, law and order has been disturbed, people are dying... Shouldn't this be a consideration?" he added.

Not content to stop at victim-blaming, he then went to blame the legal system for failing to see the point he was making. If a bigger chaos erupts in the following days, Maharaj warned, the court will have to bear the blame for it, not the goons who unleash it.

Last, but not the least, the member of the saffron party couldn't resist throwing in some communal colour to the indefensible crime that he was passionately defending.

"Can the Supreme Court or High Court call the Shahi Imam (head) of Jama Masjid in this manner? He is also wanted in many cases... Is he their relative?" he said. "Ram Rahim is a simple man so he is being harassed."

At least 30 people have died in violence that erupted after the Dera chief was convicted and this is all that a member of the party that rules Haryana, as well as the Centre, had to say to it.